If you received what passes for an education administered by the State, you no doubt have been led to believe that a group referred to as the 'Robber Baron' became rich by fleecing the population at large.

This is not true. 

If you have been bamboozled into believing such nonsense I suggest you read 'The Myth of the Robber Barons' by Burt Folsom.

If you can't take the trouble to do that then at least read up on James J. Hill who built a  superior continental railroad without benefit of the government subsidies all of his competitors were receiving.